


A Million Skies

by bene_elim



Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Comfort No Hurt, Fluff, M/M, This is sickly sweet fluff because these two need some of that, clouded mountain, gay angels being gay angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27405583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bene_elim/pseuds/bene_elim
Summary: A brief, rare moment between Balthamos and Baruch.-A million skies blessed upon him. He knew exactly how lucky he was, to be able to experience each and every single one of them, with the love of his life beside him. To lie under a star-studded canopy of darkness; to play amongst the pink-clad sunset clouds; to fly through the air and soar amongst the birds.It left him breathless, sometimes, when he thought about all that Balthamos had done for him.
Relationships: Balthamos/Baruch
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	A Million Skies

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Myriad Skies](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27363982) by [DownToTheSea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DownToTheSea/pseuds/DownToTheSea). 



> Hello hdm fans! I am here with necessary b/b fluff! These two are so tragic that they just need something sweet. 
> 
> This is for Vienna! Thanks for being a fantastic mod and for doing what you are for b/b fans!

Baruch was startled out of his contemplative stance by a whisper touch on his wrist. He looked down, finding a hand slowly creeping around him like a vine, and followed it up to its owner: Balthamos.

“My dearest,” he said. Balthamos just smiled in reply.

Sometimes, Baruch was taken aback by Balthamos’s smile. It was as rare as diamond – though millions of those hung above their heads in the sky. And it was getting rarer and rarer. But Balthamos always had a smile to spare for Baruch. He knew exactly how lucky he was, to experience each and every one of those smiles. They were for no-one other than him.

A million skies blessed upon him. He knew exactly how lucky he was, to be able to experience each and every single one of them, with the love of his life beside him. To lie under a star-studded canopy of darkness; to play amongst the pink-clad sunset clouds; to fly through the air and soar amongst the birds.

It left him breathless, sometimes, when he thought about all that Balthamos had done for him.

Their little corner of Clouded Mountain was alight with the setting sun, golden hour at its peak: the clouds that clung to each crevice were gilded from top to bottom. Baruch wondered at the sight, so beautiful that he couldn’t look away except to look at his other favourite sight in all the worlds: Balthamos. He barely touched on the thought that had he not been made into an angel by his love, he would instead be seeing the drab and colourless landscape of the Land of the Dead – and again, he knew exactly how lucky he was.

Balthamos pretended not to care much of the time. He was cold, snarky, downright mean at times – but never to Baruch. And Baruch knew exactly how much he actually cared, deep down, somewhere beneath his callous exterior. Especially how much he cared about  _ him. _

“What are you thinking of, my beloved?” Balthamos asked.

“You.” Baruch replied. “You. You have given me so much, and continue to give me more. But all that I ever wanted, truly, was to be by your side, forever. And you gave me that. It’s wonderous, isn’t it? All the things you have given me. All the worlds, all the skies, millions of them. I hold your hand and see all there is to see, I hold your hand and feel only wonder for the world around me, and  _ you  _ gave me that. So I’m thinking of you, only of you, always of you.”

Balthamos smiled.

“I think of you too. I think of you as you rest beside me, as you gaze out at the myriad of worlds that I have offered you. I knew there was a reason to save you from the fate of all other souls; your wonder is such a pure and delicate thing, I could not bear it to be snuffed out.”

His wings were austerely tucked behind him, the picture of control and dignity, not a speck of Dust out of place. But his high emotions were betrayed by the tightening of his hand around Baruch’s wrist.

“Let me kiss you,” Balthamos said.

“Yes,” Baruch replied.

The kiss was soft, soft, soft, like falling into a cloud and letting the updraft catch you. It was so gentle, Baruch grabbed Balthamos’s unoccupied hand and squeezed, hard, a sensation to ground him, lest he floated away. Their lips joined as perfectly as a key joins a lock made especially for it.

When they parted, they didn’t drift far from each other. Foreheads touching, Baruch whispered, low,

“If we ever die… I wish to be the first to die, so that I don’t know grief.”

Balthamos’s face twisted but quickly smoothed back out.

“Don’t say such things. Hush. Neither of us are going anywhere.”

And, silent, they settled back against their little cloud, the one that was especially theirs in all of Clouded Mountain, where they wouldn’t be disturbed and where they could pretend, for a little while, that nothing was wrong in all the worlds.

A million skies swirled in tandem above them. Baruch fell asleep and Balthamos curled a wing around him.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you want to join the hdm fans discord server! Find me on tumblr at virgll.tumblr.com


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